SPEECH BY DR KOH POH KOON, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE, MINISTRY OF HEALTH, AT SIAN CHAY BONDS AND SHINES WITH YOU CHARITY GALA SHOW, 24 APRIL 2021, 7.30 PM AT CAPITOL THEATRE

善济医社义务执行主席  卓顺发太平绅士

全体理事会

各位现场的朋友们

先生们, 女士们，

        大家晚上好。非常高兴参加善济医社与好FM96.3携手主办的《善济与您光明同行慈善晚会》, 为善济医社募集善款，支持善济在建立120年以来，为人民提供负担得起的中医药治疗所作的贡献。

2.    许多中医慈善机构，包括善济医社，从我国早期建国时代开始，就已经为国人提供医疗卫生服务，在推广我国中医界的发展方面，扮演着举足轻重的角色。我对中医慈善团体多年来依然坚持施医赠药，帮助社会贫困弱势群体的理念感到鼓舞。随着我国的经济和公共卫生服务不断的进化，我要鼓励我们的中医机构和善济医社等，继续关注新加坡中医药的发展，在造福人群的同时，也不忘精益求精，提高新加坡中医中药的专业水平。

3.    在人口老龄化，慢性疾病攀升的趋势下，新加坡的医疗与保健服务和资源的需求也会逐年增加。中医药在新加坡扮演着重要的辅助角色，支持我国医疗体系日益高涨的需求。要更好地发挥中医所扮演的角色，中医药必须通过科研走向循证医学，从中制定有效的疾病预防和管理模式。对此，卫生部在2013年设立中医药科研基金，如今已拨款800万元，鼓励中医界投入中医研究，以科学数据，询证医学证实中医的疗效。当然，我也意识到目前中医师的培训重点是在理论和临床方面的知识，而开展科研研究将涉及到其他领域的专业技能。庆幸的是，善济医社的中医师们，每年为数千位病患看诊，已累积了丰富的临床经验与资料。因此我要鼓励善济与西医科研人员合作，形成优势互补，通过大数据的分析，为中医治疗提供科学依据，从而推动中医学向前发展的动力。

4.    除了鼓励严谨的科学研究以建立中医药治疗的临床证明以外，确保中医治疗的安全性，以提高公众对中医药的信心，也是非常重要的。令我感到欣慰的是，在2020年，虽受疫情的影响，中医师们仍然积极地自我提升，并有约三分之一的中医师，已在一年内，获得两年所需的50个学分。所有的注册中医师，都必须在2022年4月底获准50个学分，才有资格更新中医执照，继续行医。我在此呼吁那些未达到所需学分的中医师们，再接再厉，并充分利用卫生部为资助中医师参加继续教育课程所设立的中医药发展补助金，继续地自我提升和进修。为提高新加坡中医的专业水平，卫生部和中医管理委员会也积极地发布中医执业指导原则，为本地中医专业，制定明确的标准。除了在2020年2月出版的《中医行业的良好临床实践与传染控制的一般咨询》之外，我们和中医管理委员会也与中医界合作，制定了《中医针灸及其他相关治疗的相关咨询》，并会在下半年发布。《中医针灸及其他相关治疗的相关咨询》旨在为注册中医师和针灸师，提供相关的指导原则，以确保病人的安全。我谨代表卫生部和中医管理委员会，呼吁所有中医师参考这两套指导原则，确保每位病患都能够得到安全的中医治疗。

5.    最后，我想借此机会呼吁并感谢各阶层热心人士与团体的慷慨捐款，多年来对善济医社的鼎力支持，让善济医社能继续造福社会有需要的人群。我也要鼓励中医师们同心协力，提升中医专业水平及地位，把新加坡中医中药的发展， 推向一个更高素质，高水平的新起点，并继续广受大众的信任与认可。谢谢！

Sian Chay Medical Institution Chairman Mr Toh Soon Huat

Sian Chay Medical Institution Board of Directors

Distinguished guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good evening! It is my pleasure to join all of you today at Sian Chay Bonds And Shines With You Charity Gala Show, jointly organised with 96.3 Hao FM, to raise funds for Sian Chay in support of their contributions in providing affordable TCM treatment to all in Singapore over the last 120 years.

2.     TCM Social Service Agencies (SSAs) such as Sian Chay Medical Institution have played an important role in providing affordable TCM services since our early years of nation building. We appreciate the efforts by TCM SSAs in continuing to provide affordable TCM services. As Singapore’s healthcare services continue to evolve, I hope our TCM organisations like Sian Chay Medical Institution will continue to advance professional development of Singapore’s TCM sector and raise the professional standards of TCM in Singapore.

3.     With Singapore's ageing population and increased prevalence of chronic diseases, the demand for healthcare services and resources will continue to increase. TCM plays an important complementary role to support this rising demand for healthcare services. To better improve its role, TCM must also leverage on research and seek evidence base to develop effective models of disease prevention and management. In 2013, MOH launched the TCM Research Grant (TCMRG) initiative, and to date has allocated a total of $8 million to encourage collaborative research between TCM and researchers in our public institutions, so TCM’s efficacy can be backed with scientific data. I am aware that the current training of TCM practitioners focuses on TCM theories and clinical applications, and the conduct of scientific research involves skills in other fields. I understand that Sian Chay Medical Institution’s TCM practitioners provide TCM treatment to many patients. Thus, I encourage Sian Chay Medical Institution to start by working with public institutions’ researchers to provide scientific basis for TCM treatment through analysis of big data, so as to promote the development of Chinese medicine.

4.     In line with encouraging rigorous scientific research to build an evidence base for TCM treatments, it is also very important to ensure safety of patients receiving TCM treatment. I am heartened to know that though TCM practitioners were affected by COVID-19 pandemic, there were many TCM practitioners who continued to participate actively in TCM Continuing Professional Education (CPE) courses. With the implementation of compulsory CPE last year, TCM practitioners need to accumulate 50 CPE points by end April 2022 to qualify for renewal of TCM Practising Certificate.  I am heartened that about one-third of our TCM practitioners have been keeping up to date and accumulated the full 50 points 1 year ahead of time.. I urge all TCM practitioners to make full use of the TCM Development Grant funding provided by MOH to participate in CPE courses to upgrade your TCM knowledge to continue to provide good care for patients. To raise professional standards of TCM, MOH and TCMPB have also taken the lead to publish TCM practice guidelines to set clear standards for TCM practice in Singapore. Other than “General Advisory for Good Clinical Practice and Infection Control for TCM Practice” published in February 2020, we have also collaborated with the TCM community to develop a “General Advisory on Acupuncture and Other Related Treatment”, which will be published by the 2nd half of this year. The General Advisory on Acupuncture and Other Related Treatment (GAA) aims to provide relevant guiding principles on performing acupuncture and other related treatments by registered TCM practitioners and acupuncturists, to ensure patients’ safety. On behalf of MOH and TCMPB, I urge all TCM practitioners to refer to both advisories and ensure safe TCM treatment practices to all patients.

5.     Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage and thank all individuals and organisations for their generous donations and support to Sian Chay Medical Institution over the years, so that it can continue to benefit those in need. I would also like to strongly encourage all TCM practitioners to work together to raise the professional standards and profile of TCM, so as to gain greater patients’ trust and recognition. Thank you!